Blocked Hog’s Back Path – Hope for a Compromise Following Parish Council Debate

Published on: 10 Mar, 2026
Updated on: 10 Mar, 2026

View to Chinthurst Hill from The Hog’s Back path, now closed.

By Martin Giles

The issue of the blocked fieldside path on the south side of the Hog’s Back came to a head at the Artington Parish Council meeting last night (March 9).

See: Village Association Chair Pleads His Case to Keep Path Open

Alexander More-Molyneux, who now runs the estate, having several years ago taken over from his father Michael, said he is anxious to work with the neighbouring communities to find an acceptable compromise and apologised for causing “so much disdain”.

An aerial view showing the location of the blocked path. Apple Maps

In a dialogue at the parish council meeting, Lorimer Burn, chair of the St Catherine’s Village Association, described the impact the closure of the fieldside path had had on many local residents who enjoyed the path as an amenity, providing exercise and an opportunity to appreciate the views to the south over the Surrey Hills, for several decades.

As well as coverage in The Guildford Dragon NEWS, social media has been alive with comments, many of them critical of Loseley Estate’s action.

Lorimer Burn

Mr Burn said: “After walking in such a peaceful area, the sudden closing of all access to this path came as a real shock to everyone. We had had permission from Alexander’s father, Michael, to walk along there as a permissive path. That is something that resulted from a meeting that I had on site with him something like 15 years ago.”

He said that the neighbouring communities felt “bereaved” but that, nonetheless, the loss of income any damage the path had caused to the tenant farmer was appreciated and a compromise solution, preferably a fence, for which grants may be available, was desired in order to protect the crops. The loss to the farmer, he said, had been estimated at roughly £400 per annum.

The Artington Parish Council Website

Ben Beaby, chair of the parish council, and his fellow councillors said they had been unaware of the issue but as chair he was happy to provide an opportunity for the subject to be discussed, pointing out that Cllr More-Molyneux would be speaking on behalf of the estate rather than a parish councillor.

Responding to Lorimer Burn, Alexander More-Molyneux said: “We’ve taken on board… we’ve listened to all of the concerns and comments that everyone’s made, and we are discussing potential options to allow people to view the view, which is the one thing that I can see is the recurring theme, the loss of the view.

“So we are discussing with some people how we can allow the view to be viewed [including] viewing platforms – [but] they’re not going to be happening at the moment, because it’s out of the season.”

Another view from Hog’s Back path that local residents cherish.

He clarified that if platforms were to be constructed it would not be next month, as indicated in a press release issue by the estate, and he thanked Lorimer Burn “very much” for raising the issue adding: “Yes, we are apologetic, [to] cause so much disdain. We are not indifferent to working with the communities.”

After the meeting, Lorimer Burn had a discussion on the subject with Alexander More-Molyneux and he told The Dragon today how much he had welcomed the opportunity for direct communication. He was now more optimistic that a suitable solution could be found and that improved estate-community relations would ensue, emphasising the importance of a planned meeting with Alexander More Molyneux and the estate manager.